Animal-trap.



W. T. GIALLAGHBR.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIOATIOI FILED 113.25, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Wzllam 7.761222@ g1 UiaiTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM T. GALLAGHER, 0F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, .A'SSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0WILLIAM STIRTZ, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Application led lFebruary 25, 1910. Serial No. 545,842.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM T. GAL- LAGHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State ofVirginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, ofwhich the following is a specication.

This invention relates to traps for animals, and the object of theinvention is to provide a trap provided with a plurality of small jawsand a pair of large jaws which entirely inclose the small jaws, thelocking member of the larger jaws being extremely sensitive so that themovement of an animal having its foot caught within one of the smallerjaws will operate the trigger of the larger jaws to eifectively securethe said animal.

`With the above, and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription progresses, the invention resides in the novel constructionand combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated a simple andpreferred embodiment of the improvement, and in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a trap constructed in accordance with thepresent invention and showing the jaws thereof in their open position.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same, the dottedlines indicating the jaws in their closed' position. Fig. 3 is asectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken upon the line 44 Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail of the fragmentary parts in arbitraryrelation to each other and illustrating the tongue 10 ready forinsertion in the opening beneath the ear 3.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 1 designates the base plate ofthe mproved trap. This base plate 1 is constructed of some suitablemetal having its opposite ends upset as designated by the numeral 2. Thebottom of the rectangular base 1 is further provided with slittedportions, and the metal formed between these slits is bent upwardly toprovide the spaced ears 3.N By reference to the several figures of thedrawing, it will be noted that the ears 3 are arranged in pairs and bothof the said ears are each provided adjacent their top edges with a pairof spaced openings, the same being adapted for the reception of theoifset portions 4 of substantially U-shaped jaw meinbers 5. In thedevice illustrated in the drawing two sets of jaw members 5 areemployed, but it is obvious that a greater number of said jaws may beused if desired. The jaws 5, while described as substantially U-sliapedmembers each comprise a pair of arms in a -substantially parallel planeand a connecting member arranged at a substantially right angle to thearms.

.Positioned between the jaws 5 is a tripping plate or pan 6, the samehaving a rearwardly extending arm 7 which is pivotally connected with anupright member 8, and the said extension is provided with a suitable lipwhich is adapted t0 engage with a latch 9 in the ordinary manner andwhereby pressure upon the tripping plate or pan 6 releases the latch 7so as to allow the jaws 5 to swing vertically and into engagement witheach other.

The numeral 10 designates the spring member which forces the jaws 5together when the tripping plate or pan 6 is operated. Each of thesesprings 10 comprises a single strip of resilient material, having one ofits ends reduced to provide the projecting tongues 11 which is adaptedto be inserted through the opening provided by one of the ears 3 and tobe secured to the base 1 through the medium of suitable rivets 11a. Itis to be understood that the shoulders adjacent the reduced tonguecontact with the ear 3 and the top of the base adjacent the wallsprovided by the openings. The opposite end of the spring 10 is providedwith an elongated opening 12 which is inserted over the opposite ear 3and bears against the oset arms of the jaw members 5.

The offset ends 2 of the base plate 1 are each provided, adjacent theirupper eX- tremities with a pair of spaced openings, the same beingadapted for the reception of offset members or lugs 13 provided upon apair of substantially U-shaped jaw members 14. These jaw members 14 itwill be noted by reference to the drawing, entirely surround the smallerjaw members 5 and pivotally connected with the base 1 is a centrallyarranged tripping plate or pan 15, which has an offset lip adapted toengage with a latch member 16 to hold the jaws 14 in their openposition. The lip provided by 'the pan 15 only slightly engages with thelatch member 1G, so that a slight movement or shaking of the trap willcause the lip to become disengaged from the said member 1G and allow thejaws 14lto close in a manner now to be described.

lhe numeral 1T designates a pair of double arm springs. Each of thesesprings has its ends provided with elongated openings 18, the same beingpositioned upon the upset ends 2 of the base member 1 and the upper armof each of the said springs being adapted to contact with the offsetarms of the jaws 14;, so when the catch 1G is released, to allow thesaid jaws to swing upwardly toward each other. By reference to Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, it will be noted that the jaws 11l-, when in their swungposition do not contact with each other, `the side arms of the said awsbeing` provided with offsets to prevent such an action and the object ofthis construction will presently be set forth.

lt is a well known fact among trappers that an animal having its footcaught with` in a Ytrap uses every effort to dislodge the said foot andeven resorts to gnawing the foot in order to obtain his release. ln thedevice above described, it will be noted that none of the jaws 5 or 1stare provided with teeth so that the same will not injure the fur of theanimals caught therebetween. Should an animal have its paw caughtbetween one of the pairs of jaws 5 the animal will at first malte aneffort to release himself and in this elfort the animal is liable toturn around so as to contact with the plate 16 or the opposite plate 6,causing the jaws of each of these members to be swung into engagementwith the leg and foot of the animal. The jaws 1lare of such a size as toengage the animal above its ankle and as the upper portion of the leglis of a greater size than the ankle the spread upper portions of thejaws 14A will su'liiciently contact with the leg of the animal toprevent its escape therefrom. Itis also a well known fact among trappersthat the portion of the leg secured by the trap as well as beneath thejaws of the trap swells and this swelling will also tend to prevent theremoval of the leg of the animal from the trap.

l? rom the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will. be noted that l have provided a comparatively simpleand thoroughly effective device for the purpose intended, one whichwill. not injure the fur of the animal and which will eifectivelyprevent the said animal from gnawing his foot and thereby escaping fromthe trap, one wherein the awsl 1st are retained in open position by whatmay be termed a hair trigger which is easily operated so as to cause theclosure of the jaws by the mere movement of the trap, and it is to beunderstood that while l sessies have illustrated and described thepreferred embodiment of the improvement, as it now appears to me, minordetails of construction within the scope of the: following claims may beresorted to if desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is :w

1. fr trap of the class described, a .rectangular base provided withupset ends, a plurality of spaced ears upon the base, said ears havingtheir upper extremities provided with a pair of spaced openings, U-shaped jaws having offsets engaging within these openings, a pan memberto each of the pairs of jaws, a latch connected with the pan, a flatspring carried by the base and engaging the olfset arms of each of thepairs of jaws, the upset ends of the base having a. pair of spacedopenings, U-shapef'l aws having offsets engaging these openings, saidjaws surrounding the first named jaws, a pan upon the plate intermediateof the tirst named jaws, a latch normally engaging 'the plate and one ofthe larger jaws, and double spring members contacting the offset arms ofthe larger aws.

Q. A trap comprising a rectangular base member provided with upset ends,the said base member being provided with ears ar ranged in pairs, a pairof jaw members pivot-ally connected to each pair of ears, a flattenedspring member having one of its ends provided with an elongated openingpositioned upon one of the ears and contacting one of the offset arms ofeach pair of jaws, a pan between the jaws, said trippingpans being eachprovided with a lip, a catch pivotally connected with the base andadapted to normally engage the lip of the tripping pan, a pair of largerjaws encircling the smaller jaws and pivotally connected with the upsetends of the base, a tripping pan pivotally connected with the base andbetween the smaller jaws, a latch member lightly engaging the trippingpan, and double arm spring members having their ends provided withopenings positioned upon the upset end of the base and adapted to bearagainst the offset arms of the larger jaw members.

3. ln a. trap of the class described, a ree tangular base provided withupset ends, said base being provided with upturned ears arranged inpairs, a pair of Ushaped jaws pivotally connected between each pair ofears, a spring member for these jaws, said spring comprising a singlerectangular member having one of its ends offset and engaging beneaththe base and its opposite end provided with an elongated opening adaptedto be positioned upon one of the ears and to contact with the jawspivotally connected with said ear, tripping mechanism for operatingthese jaws, a pair of oppositely disposed enlarged jaws pivotallyconnected with the upset ends of the base, a double pair of jaws toretain the larger -jaws in arm spring engaging these jaws to northeiropen position. 10 nially force the same toward each other, In testimonywhereof I aiiix my signature said jaws being provided with oset porinpresence of two witnesses.

tions adapted to Contact with each other to WILLIAM T. GALLAGHER.prevent the longitudinal members of the Vitnesses:

said jaws contacting with each other, and a L. B. SIMS,

hair trigger positioned between the smaller WILLIAM C. STERTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

